ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To assess the antioxidative properties and the mechanism of action of dihydromyricetin (DMY) from Ampelopsis grossedentata.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The antioxidative properties of DMY were measured by scavenging 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and inhibiting lipid peroxidation induced by FeSO4-edetic acid in linoleic acid. The mechanism of antioxidative properties of DMY was tested by measuring the chelating activities of DMY for Fe2+ with ultraviolet spectrum (UV) method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The specific absorption of DPPH radical solution at 517 nm was reduced 73.3%-91.5% when DMY was added into the reaction solution in the concentration range from 0.01% to 0.04%. DMY was shown to greatly inhibit the increase of lipid peroxidation (LPO) values in linolei acid system catalyzed by FeSO4-edetic acid. The reaction rates (A532.min-1) of lipid peroxidation were 0.0021-0.0004 in the concentration range from 0.01% to 0.04% and the inhibition activities of DMY was found to be in a concentration-dependent manner. The mechanism of antioxidative properties of DMY was chelating Fe2+ in the Fe(2+)-dependent lipid peroxidation system.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DMY showed great antioxidative effect and would be a good natural antioxidant.</p>
